MenoWalk brings Eastwood women together

As part of the Eastwood integrated neighbourhood work, a MenoWalk was held on Saturday 2 November, which was a lovely walk around the park, followed by tea/coffee in a local cafe.

The aim of the walk was to speak to local ladies to look at starting a menopause support group in North Broxtowe, which will be held in Eastwood.

Elaine Copper, Transformation Manager said: “This was a fantastic walk and hopefully the start of something that local women will find really useful. Whilst walking we got to know each other a bit and shared where we are in our journey and some of our experiences, both good and bad.

“Over coffee we started thinking about what to do on an ongoing basis. We agreed it would be good to start meeting fortnightly starting in the new year! Which everyone is looking forward to.

“Ladies are welcome to just be part of the group and enjoy any activities, but the idea was also discussed about members bringing skills or resources that the group could benefit from which would help to make the group sustainable. For example, we have a member who manages a women’s wellbeing clinic, a lady with a master’s in nutrition and someone who has access to a common room via her job. It could be anything that might be helpful to the group.”

The group plans to meet each month on a Saturday and include some physical activity element, ranging from yoga, Pilates, walking to HIIT, boxercise, tree hugging and axe throwing.

In the fortnight in between there will be a weekday evening where the group can get together to have a cuppa or a walk if the weather is kind.

Menopause is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and there are a number of things you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease, including; maintaining a healthy body weight, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, treating and controlling medical conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

The group talked about symptom triggers and some of the things that exacerbate them like food, alcohol, and flights/travel. 

Although the ladies had not previously met, they decided they wanted to set up a WhatsApp group to keep in touch with one another and share useful information, for example on the HRT prescription payment scheme, information on supplements, arranging future sessions, and links to programmes to watch.

This group is open to women living in North Broxtowe, after receiving funds from Broxtowe Borough Council from their bursary fund. This includes residents in Eastwood, Kimberley, Giltbrook and surrounding areas.

We are looking in to getting support from other services that may be useful to group members. We spoke a lot about how ladies lose their confidence and identity and how domestic abuse and suicide rates increase. This group will aim to get ladies support, so they are not suffering alone.

The group will also provide a safe space for members and will be a chance to have confidential conversations that are not talked about outside of the group.

Another walk is planned for November 30^, at 9.30am, meeting at the front of Eastwood Town Council office. Any women who feel they would benefit from this support are welcome to come along.

South Notts Older and Wiser guide published!

A guide dedicated to supporting older people in South Nottinghamshire with their health and wellbeing has been published this week.

The guide was the brainchild of local GP Caroline White, who over the last 18 months has been supported by the Phoenix Programme to develop and write it, latterly with help from the South Nottinghamshire Place-Based Partnership.

She says: “I created this resource to support colleagues across health and care in South Nottinghamshire in their care of older people. It has been carefully written in patient friendly language and has lots of information focusing on maintaining health and independence in older age, seeking support and care planning.

“The content in the booklet has been co-produced with patient groups, community and hospital colleagues and I am delighted that I am now able to share it more widely.”

Copies are currently being printed and will be available in health and care settings in South Nottinghamshire, but you can also download it below.

https://healthandcarenotts.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FINAL-Older-and-wiser-5.pdf

Hucknall for Heart Health event draws crowds

On 29August, Byron Primary Care Network (PCN) held their first ‘Healthy Hearts for Hucknall’ event at St. John’s Community Centre, Hucknall.

The event for patients registered with GP practices in Hucknall offered people a range of health checks including blood tests, blood pressure, artrial fibrillation (which is a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate), and BMI.

The event was also supported by a wide range of other services offering health and lifestyle support including Talking Therapies, Your Health Notts, Active Notts, Social Prescribing, Ashfield District Council Health and Wellbeing and local diet and exercise groups.

There were also demonstrations from the resuscitation officer from Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on effective resuscitation and how to use defibrillators.

The digital inclusion officer from the PCN also offered support in signing up for the NHS app and demonstrating how to use the app effectively.

The event proved to be incredibly popular, with over 250 patients turning up on the day.

Jon Stevens, Transformation Manager at South Notts PBP said; ‘Healthy Hearts for Hucknall showed a real commitment from the PCN to offering CVD prevention services and advice out in the community. We hoped that there would be a need for these kinds of events but were amazed at the appetite for this from patients and the local community. It was great example of Health and Community Services coming together to support patients in community locations.’

There are five more Healthy Hearts for Hucknall sessions over the coming months, with the next one planned for 17 October.

Integrated Neighbourhood Working – Eastwood sight loss event

Greasely Sports and Community Centre is hosting the first Eastwood Sight Loss event on 19 September from 2pm to 4pm.

The idea for the event came from discussions between Linda Pattison Nottinghamshire County Council’s Local Area Coordinator for Eastwood and Paul Holden Regional Manager for the Macular Society.  Linda had been supporting a local resident who has macular degeneration and was looking for a local support group.  The options for Eastwood residents are very limited, with the nearest Macular Support group being in Wollaton.  

Linda worked with the Eastwood Integrated Neighbourhood Working team and Elaine Cooper, Transformation Manager for Nottingham West PCN, to determine how many people were living with sight loss in Eastwood. With the assistance of the System Analytics and Intelligence Unit, the research highlighted that there are 4890 people in Broxtowe and 1600 people in Eastwood specifically. 

Paul Holden from the Macular Society was approached with the findings and the idea of a support group, based in Eastwood, for people in the North Broxtowe area, was discussed. He suggested that they initially hold an information event and use that to gauge interest in a local support group.

The event will be an opportunity for residents to learn more about living with age related macular degeneration, the macular society and other local support, services and technology available. Also attending the event will be the RNIB, My Sight Notts, Optelec, Blind Veterans and Inspire.

People can just drop in on the day, or for any questions contact Paul on: 07769 494 087

Proud to support the Sunflower initiative

Important work has been taking place in Rushcliffe to support the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative, to ensure members of the community with hidden disabilities get the understanding and patience they deserve.

The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a simple way for you to let others know that you have a disability or condition that may not be immediately apparent. It highlights that you may need a helping hand, understanding and patience, and more time in shops, at work, on transport, or in public spaces.

Sunflower lanyards have become a popular way for people and organisations to spot if someone has a non-visible disability, such as dementia.

Gwynneth Owen, Project Lead  –  Rushcliffe Dementia Communication and Support Project and Social Prescribing Link Worker said: “This is a fantastic project, and our vision is for everyone within our Rushcliffe community to be aware of what the Sunflower represents, and as a result we show each other a little more kindness and patience.”

Barbara Breakwell is spearheading the project in Ruddington. She is a sunflower lanyard user herself as she has an invisible disability, Multiple Sclerosis. She is really passionate about the project and knows through personal experience that the awareness of what they mean is limited. 

Barbara approached her local florist shop to use their display window. The local Yarn Bomb group offered to knit and crochet sunflowers and forget-me-nots to support the display and an amazing display was created to display throughout August. 

Barbara also approached all the local businesses and organisations, including public houses, churches and medical centre inviting them to display a poster that she designed.

Gwynneth and Barbara ran a stall at the market and Barbara has also done a craft activity with a sunflower remit in the local library.

Sunflower lanyards are available online and we would encourage you to use this service. In addition, Rushcliffe Borough Council is going to have a supply available at their Customer Service Centre, soon to be reopened at its new location within West Brigford Library. Kelly, the Community Champion from Morrisons in Gamston, has been working hard to raise the profile in her local store and there is a supply of the lanyards at the Customer Service Desk.

People living with dementia are finding this lanyard helpful to maintain their independence, knowing that by wearing one, support is on hand. This was the experience of Steve Ball from Whatton, on a recent rail journey to Bristol: “When I was travelling alone, wearing my Sunflower lanyard, no end of railway staff asked after my welfare and if I needed any help. It gave me more confidence on my journey to Bristol because of their care and concern.”

To learn more visit: https://hdsunflower.com

Future of Healthcare in Rushcliffe event

‘The Future of Healthcare in Rushcliffe’ event took place in June and was attended by over 100 local people.

The event was a great opportunity to learn, share and take away some great ideas about how to improve your own health and wellbeing, that of the wider community and how to make the most of local services to help do this.

There was a focus on the shift to self-care, recognising self-care as a central element of modern healthcare, supported by community policies.

There were also key discussions on Dementia-Friendly Initiatives, including awareness and education, the support systems available and ways to involve the community.

Paul Midgley, Chair of the Rushcliffe Alliance, of PPGs for Innovation and Development said: “We got some great speakers and lots of stall holders. It emphasises the breadth of health and care across Rushcliffe, and that was the aim of the event. It is much more about involving the voluntary sector and other providers.

“It’s really important we recognise the NHS can’t do everything, as it could never be big enough to do everything for us.  As a community, we have to build that resilience and capacity, and kindness as a community, recognise we should be looking after each other.”

The event focused on the need for enhanced community involvement and the importance of the involvement of local communities and non-professionals was highlighted as vital for the effective implementation of healthcare improvements.

It highlighted how consistent, clear communication and educational efforts are essential to ensure that patients are well-informed about how to access and engage with services. Also looking at how healthcare services to meet individual needs, while ensuring equity in access and outcomes is crucial for a sustainable healthcare system.

It was a really positive event for the Rushcliffe community. You can listen to organiser, Paul Midgley, talk more about how it went and what it aimed to achieve in this short video – https://youtu.be/p_WdvspDBCo

You can also hear from our Place-Based Partnership Director, Helen Smith, who talks about the three important principles which underpin the Integrated Care Strategy here and below.

Rushcliffe dementia event a huge success!

Hundreds of people joined the Rushcliffe Dementia Action Network at its Dementia and Carers Marketplace at Rushcliffe Arena on Thursday 16 May.

The event presented an opportunity for people to learn about local groups and organisations available to help people living with dementia and their carers. It offered a range of health and advice for people living with dementia and their carers with 44 stall holders participating. Over 270 referrals were made on the day to additional support and there were also some fantastic breakout sessions including Dementia Friends Information Session and interactive sessions on how to avoid scams and fraud, as well as setting up Lasting Powers of Attorney.

The Dementia Marketplace coincided with Dementia Action Week which ran from May 13 to 19 and aims to raise awareness of dementia and encourage people to take action by recognising symptoms, helping people to get a diagnosis and seek support.

Laura, who was visiting the event with her mother, who is living with dementia said: “It’s been so useful to have all this support in one room. You can go directly to the stand offering the help you’re looking for. You can even organise a home visit. I’ve spoken to the fire service about a recent incident, and they are going to come and visit and help us to put some safety precautions in place.”

Project lead for the Rushcliffe Dementia Project, Gwynneth Owen added: “When living with any condition, it is so important to know what support is available to you, particularly in your local area. One of the highlights has been hearing about the sense of hope that was felt in the room, that it really can be possible to live well with dementia. The marketplace has been a great example of our groups, services and organisations in Rushcliffe all coming together to showcase their support, and all under one roof. This kind of collaboration on a local level, can really make a difference to the health and wellbeing of those residents living with dementia and their carers. It was a great opportunity to hold this during Dementia Action Week, and we are looking forward to hosting more events in the future.”

For more details about the Rushcliffe Dementia Action Network, please contact: gwynneth.owen@nhs.net

South Notts News!

The partnership produces a regular e-newsletter with lots of local news, information about events, initiatives, grant information and case studies about projects and people from across the area. You can sign up to the newsletter by emailing Antonia.smith@nhs.net or see the most recent editions below:

March/ April 2024

https://campaign.emailblaster.cloud/MTg2OTU/79.html

January/ Feb 2024

https://campaign.emailblaster.cloud/MTg2OTU/50.html

November/ December 2023

https://campaign.emailblaster.cloud/MTg2OTU/27.html

October 2023

https://campaign.emailblaster.cloud/MTg2OTU/13.html

Bereavement support group in Rushcliffe

In Rushcliffe, where there was a significant need for bereavement support, people were finding that traditional avenues were difficult to access and mainstream services lack the specialised bereavement support.

In light of these challenges, the Rushcliffe Social Prescribers set up bereavement support groups, providing an invaluable resource for the community. By drawing upon their own lived experiences, the team has developed peer support groups that provide solace, understanding, and companionship to those navigating the complexities of grief. Through these peer support groups, people find strength in their vulnerability and solidarity in their shared experiences.

We spoke to Mel Watson, 76 from East Leake who has been attending the groups now for over 18 months, after sadly losing his wife two years ago.

Before he started attending the groups he was feeling suicidal, depressed and just didn’t want to be here. He stopped doing the things he loved such as going to all the home and away games for his football club.

Mel said: “The group has been a life saver for me, it gave me confidence and something to look forward to. The support has been absolutely wonderful and I have made genuine friends.

“I don’t know what I would have done without it. My family are really pleased that I enjoy going and get so much from it.”

Mel uses the group as an opportunity to meet up with like-minded people and an opportunity to talk, as he found he couldn’t talk to his children about how he was feeling about life, but felt able to at the group, which really helped.

The groups are ran by social prescibers, who have themselves experienced loss, so they can truly relate to how participants may be feeling.

Mel said “The ladies that run the groups are all absolutely lovely, they really are fantastic. The fact that they have themselves experienced loss means that that they totally understand how you are feeling. They don’t force anything, or try and coach you to say anything you don’t want to, you are left to say what you want. They’ve been through it themselves and they know what they are talking about.”

“I class them as friends now that I can talk to and confide in. Even now if I’ve had a bad day, I know I can talk to them. A year ago, it was the year anniversary of my wife’s death and I was stood looking up at sky talking to her and feeling really low. Jackie came over and gave me a big hug and I felt so much better, she knew that was what I needed.

“I would definitely recommend this group to anyone who has experienced loss, it is fantastic. For me, it’s a complete transformation from the way I felt before to how I feel now. The support is so genuine and I am loving my life, which I know is what my wife would have wanted.”

There are two bereavement support groups, one in Keyworth on the 1^st Wednesday of every month and one in West Bridgford, on the 3^rd Thursday of month. Posters are up in GP surgeries and libraries so take a look if this is something which may help you or someone you know. For more details, please email: jacqueline.kendrick@nhs.net